Depression is more than being sad or feeling down. Someone who experiences persistently strong negative feelings that interfere with their day-to-day life and impact how they deal with people around them and their responsibilities, may have depression.
If you are experiencing some of the following feelings more often than not, you may be experiencing depression; consider speaking to a mental health professional.
Feeling persistently sad or down. You feel like you have a heavy weight on you, and the mood persists even as what used to feel like happy events, happen around you.
Feeling constantly tired. Loss of energy for your usual to-do list. Fatigue that won’t let go. Sleeping more or lying awake all night.
Short fuse. Your usual demeanour has changed to having a quick temper, reacting irritably, and even little things are setting you off.
Difficulty concentrating. Trouble focusing on your work, following a conversation, or remembering responsibilities occur when we have been too stressed for too long.
Weight loss or gain, change in eating habits. A loss of appetite or seeking comfort in food. You may not notice that your eating habits have shifted, but a rapid loss or gain in weight may be a sign that something is wrong.
Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty. Feeling that things won’t get better, that you won’t get better. Feeling that you don’t deserve to be happy. Emptiness, feeling disconnected from people and situations.
Feeling blank. Lack of interest or pleasure, feeling numb. Not engaging in things, not enjoying things — even things you used to enjoy.
It’s important to remember that depression not a sign of failure in yourself, it is a mental illness that is treatable.
One of the most effective ways to cope with depression is with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a clinically proven and evidence-based approach that helps us understand the relationship between our thoughts and behaviours; using CBT, we can develop skills to control how we deal with everyday stress in a positive way.
Always remember that depression is treatable. When you feel it’s beginning to negatively affect your life, please reach out to a professional to get the help you need to feel better.